Coupling mechanism for motor-cars.



L. GBEMI. V COUPLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR (JARS.

' 'unmnmn FILED nus, 1909.]

a sums- 511221 1.

, @0672 for .Zibdzfd are 171.1;

, Patented July 26,1910;

. 9465,8lld.

rrD STATES PATENT onEIoE.

L0UIS'GR13J1VLI, or ru 'rnnux, FRANCE.

COUPLING- MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed, Maya, 1909. Serial No. 494,094.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS GRIiMI engineer, a citizen of the French Republic, re-

siding at 65 Rue Victorllugo, Puteaux,

Seine, France, .have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupling Mechanism for Motor-Cars; and. I do hereby decl-are the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

A large number of coupling devices and clutches have already been devised for transmitting power, principally applicable for motor cars, but they have not, as a matter of fact, produced fully satisfactory results. Such coupling devices have been constructed so as to be put into operation gradually by forming them, among other ways, with a set of associated friction disks, one set connected rigidly to one. member of the transmission mechanism and the other set to the second member; according to a better system the same result has been effected by hydraulic means, comprising a cylindrical reservoir in one with one of the parts, and one or more vanes attached to the second of the said parts and separating the first into a certain number of eompartn'ients, with means for the regulation of the'intercom munication between the compartments. Again the coupling or clutching mechanism has been rendered elastic, by using ordinary springs, but in no case have the various difiiculties encountered been overcome.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the existing drawbacks. The coupling device to which it relates is of such a nature as to satisfy all requirements. It is constructed upon principles somewhat analogous to those adopted in coupling devices known as hydraulic clutches, but it employs in place of'an incompresslble fluid, an elas tic fluid, such for example as air. The coupling consequently possesses two fundamen tal advantagesit does not requlre for its elasticity the use of a special means, and

contrary to what is the case with hydraulic clutches, sinceit utilizes air, it is entirely independent of leakage which is of extreme importance especially when motor cars are being dealt with.

The invention will be better understood from the following description andthe annexed drawlngs, which show, merely by way l i Patented July 2c, 1910.

In the method of carrying out the invention, such as that shown by way of example in the drawings, the coupling comprises substantially, the part a. which can be attached to one or the other of the two parts of the transmission mechanism, for instance to the fly wheel of the motor or to its equivalent. A certain number of cylinders 72 mounted radially on the part 0i are provided on the one hand with inlet valves 0 and on the other hand with outlet valves 03.

e is a'compression chamber by preference rigidly connected with the said cylinders and connected with the outlet valves (1.

This chamber is provided with an outlet mechanism which is capable of regulation.

This regulation may be. advantageously effected by one or more valves 7' so actuated,

for instance by a piece 9, that their position can be altered at will.

it is a crank, the axis of which is concentric with the piece a which crank is capable of being put in connection with the secon part of the transmission gear.

2' are pistons connected to the said crank by connecting rods j conveniently pivoted on the latter, with the intervention ,of a collar j formed, at the end of one of the said con necting rods. e

The operation is extremely simple. Supposing for instance in the first place that the valves 0 nd (Z are automatic in action and.

9 is set the valves f are completely open;

if the parta has motion communicated to it, the crank shaft it having at the same time a resistance placed upon it, the said shaft remains in its position and the pistons i are drawn into and out of the cylinders. At each forward stroke of the said pistons they compress into the chamber 6, that is into the atmosphere, because the valves f when they are open, allow of the escape of the air, their size being suitably calculated for that purpose, in the case under conslderatlon. If the parts are in the positions already mentioned and the piece g is so displaced that the said valves f are partly closed the air accumulates in the chamber 6 at each forward stroke of the pistons '45 and cannot escape directly. The pressure of this air progressively increases during the period of pumping of the pistons i and produces a reaction upon these latterand by the interventlon of the connecting rods 7' and of the c0llar j on the crank it 'thislatter is forced to rotate, from which it results that a number of weaker strokes of the pistons 71 are produced in the cylinders 6 during the rotation of the shaft caused by that of the part a. This causes at each revolution of the said part a less'compressionin the chamber (2, Where finally the pressure reaches a certain point corresponding at the same time to the degree of opening of the valves f and to a c. ertain rapidity of motion of the shaft h.

Iii-now theclosing of the'said 20 velocity of rotation of the 1 for complete clutchinguis not the valves f is increased there is a fresh increase of pressure in the chamber 6 and consequently of the crank It. If .finally the closing is carried tosuch an extentthatthe rapidity of rotation is equal to that of the piece a the clutching action is complete and all the parts turnas a whole. In all cases. whenever for any reason there is a fall of pressure in the chamber ethere is almost immediately a corresponding recuperationof pressure, as will easily be observed. In all cases again if one ofthe two parts ofthe transmission. gear is subjected to anyfshock, no' damage is produced in the other, since the medium being only a gaseous fluid is perfectly elastic.

The pressure in the chamber same in all the cases. It is a function of the resistance to which the shaft h is exposed; andit follows that the greater the resistance, the

' greater must be the saidpressure. Now each time the latter rises or falls it can only do so progressively, a fact which is of great importance in motor cars, for there willbe an absolute progression in passing from one should also be mentioned with regard to the last point that if the loss of energy produced during the synchronizing of the parts is looked upon as a matter of seconda'r Y importance, the coupling inf-question can still be applied by itself as a change speed gear. In all cases again, as will be easily under: stood recourse may be "d to a system of ing outlet valve (1 and has at the e necessary rotary pumps for supplying the chamber 0 instead of a system such as that shown on the drawing.

lVithregard to the details of arrangement in the case where the valves 0 and (Z are actuated and. the'part (2- also combined with a lubricating pump; each of the cylinders Z) is surmounted by a tubular piece b which forms at the base a seating for a correspondtop a tapped portion on to which is screwed an annular cay between which and a part provided for the purpose on the valve d is interposed a spring (Z? tending to keep the latter on its seating. The said valve d is also provided with a tubular stem at the base of which is formed a seating of the inlet valve .0. The latter has its; stem mounted in 'a sleeve (I provided in the tubular stem of the valve 0!, and fixed there by a bridge piece d and surmounted by a cap (1 between which and the said bridge piece is interposed a spring 0 tending to keep the valve in question on its seating.

Each of the cylinders comprises moreover a bracket k, on which is pivoted at k a rocking lever comprising on the one hand a central finger suitable for pressing on the stem of the valve 0 so as to open it when it is rocked over toward the axis of the shaft la, and to have no effect on the said valve when the lever is rocked over in the opposite direction. On the other hand it has a fork is which gives a pull at the extremity of the tubular stem of the valve (I so as to raise it when the lever is rocked over toward the outside and not to raise the said valve when the lever is moved in the opposite direction. Finally, extending from the said central finger k and actuated by the end of a radial pin 70'', placed in a corresponding bearing In" and ending with a head consisting of a guide It" sliding backward and forward in a radial guide way 7: provided in the part a. and also comprising a roller 70 placed in a cam groove common to all the rollers 70 and furnished in the plate carried by the shaft It.

The shaping of the saidcam groove is advantageously such as that shown at Fig. l.

The chamber 0 comprises on the one hand a series of branch pipes 0 leading to the different tubular parts If, and on the other hand a series of seatings f for the valves f, each of which has its action controlled by a spring f tending to keep it closed, andeach of which hasitsstem terminated by a roller suitable to take motion from the said piece 9 which is common to all the rollers f, and is mounted on a tubular extension or of the part a, forming alongwith another extension (4 on the same part a bearing bracket for the shaft, 12., so that 'it can movelongitudinally. The piece 9 is in one with a series of arms passing .into corresponding slides formed in there is a supplementalfinger'k the internal ring Z of a ball bearing carried by apbrackehl (corresponding to a similar bearing m, carried by a similar bracket m on the other side ofthe apparatus) and coin ane'cted to a guide controlled through the Linterventionof another ball bearing 9 and a collar 9 by a fork g ith regard to the system of lubrication it consists of a lubricating pump it carried by the part a and provided with a tubular controlling shaft 01 carrying a worm wheel n gearing with an endless worm a cut on the edge of the plate in which the cam groove 22 is formed; a conducting pipe 11* branching into an annular chamber provided in a sleeve n around one of the parts of the shaft 92 at 0 combination, a driving part and a driven which part this latter is'provided with a passage a; a radial conducting pipe a connected with the said conduit 91 and opening into an annular chamber formed in a bush 0 located in the extension of the piece a.- A conducting pipe a extends along the shaft and has three separate branches, one corresponding to the annular chamber just mentioned, a second which opens into a bush 0 surrounded by the collar 7' and a third which opens a little in front of a supplemental annular chamber provided in a boss 0 located in .the extension (1 of the piece a. A conducting pipe n leads from the said supplemental annular chamber and opens'into the casing forming the part a. A suitable feed aperture n forming the means for supplying the said lubricating pump is suitably located in the said casing, and there is also part, one of said parts-being provided with a pump cylinder and a pressure chamber communicating with said cylinder; a piston working in said cylinder and connected to the other part; an exhaust valve for 010s ing communicatlon between said cyllnder and chamber; an inlet valve connected with the cylinder; a timing mechanism for opening said inlet and exhaust valves; and a separate mechanism for controlling the flow of the operating fluid from said chamber, I.

2. A fluid-operatedclutch comprising, in

combination, a driving part and adrivenpart, one of said parts being provided with a plurality of pump cylinders and a pressure chamber communication therewith; a pis? ton working in each cyl nder and connected to the other part; an exhaust valve an inlet valve connected with eachcylinderpthe exhaust valves beingjarranged to close, communication between the cyl nder, and the pressure chamber; a timing mechanism car- I ried by the driving part connected with the-drlven partand with said inlet andexhaust valves, for opening the sa ine; and a,

separate mechanism for controlling, the ,fl'ow of the operating fiuid fromsaid chamber.

3. A fluid-operated clutch comprising a driving part'and a driven part, one of said parts being provided with, a plurality of pump cylinders and a pressure chamber communicatmg therewith; a piston working in each cylinder and connected to the other part; an exhaust valve and an inlet valve connected to each cylinder, said exhaust valves being arranged to close communication between said cylinders and chamber; a valve located within said chamber for controlling the flow of the operati fluid therefrom; and a member slidab e upon the driven part and arranged for contact with the stem of the last-mentioned valve, for opening the latter.

4:. A fluid-operated clutchcomprising a v driving part and a driven part, one of said parts being provided with a plurality of pump cylinders and apressure chamber communicating therewith; a piston working in each cylinder and connected to the other part; an exhaust valve and an inlet valve connected to each cylinder, said exhaust valves being arranged to close communica-" tion between said cylinders and chamber; spring-pressed valves located within said chamber for controlling the flow of the operating fluid therefrom; a roller secured to the stem of each last-mentioned valve; and a'beveled member slidable upon the driven part and arranged to en 'age said rollers, to open said last-mentione valves.-

5. A fluid-operated clutch comprising, in combination, a driving part and a driven part, one of said parts being provided with a pump cylinder and a pressure chamber in communication with each other; an inlet and an exhaust valve connected with said cylinder, the latter valve being arranged to normally close such communication; a pmton working in said cylinder and connected to the other part;'a movable member connected with said cylinder and engagedwith both valves; mechanism operated by the movement of the driving part for moving said member inone direction to open the inlet valve, and in the other direction to open the exhaust valve; and mechanism for controlling the flow of the operating fluid from the pressure chamber. v

6; A fluid-operated clutch comprising, in combination, a driving part and a driven part, one of said parts being'provided with a -pump cylinder and a pressure chamber in communication with 'each other; an inlet and an exhaust valve connected with said cylinder, the latter valve being arranged to normally close such communication; a piston Working in saidcylinder and connected to the other part; a member pivotall connected with the cylinder and engage with both valves; an endWise-movable member carried by the driving part and connected to saicllpivoted member; a cam carried by the driven part and connected With said end- [wise-movable 'member for moving the latter in one direction to open the inlet valve,

and in the other directiol to'open the exhaust valve; and mechanism for controlling the flow of the operating fluid from the LOUIS GRElV IL \Vitnesses DEAN B. MAsoN, SOLLET HENRY. 

